Civil remote and hybrid hearings during the COVID-19 pandemic: case law, court guidance and CPR PD 51Y (England and Wales) [Archived]
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ARCHIVED: This Practice Note is archived and not maintained. It provides guidance on employing remote and hybrid hearings, both by video-conference and by telephone, in civil proceedings during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. It reviews the court’s approach to remote or hybrid hearings over the pandemic and the guidance issued by the courts for handling remote hearings, including measures adopted to deal with them. For details of current guidance concerning remote and hybrid hearings in civil proceedings, see Practice Note: Remote and hybrid hearings in civil proceedings.
Courts approach to remote hearings during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic
The position on remote hearings shifted substantially from the outset of the pandemic, but the following cases illustrate how the courts dealt with applications for remote hearings during that period. As a rule, in all cases, whether a hearing should proceed remotely, and the mode by which each matter is heard, rests with the judge or magistrate responsible for conducting it. In practice, that is ultimately a case management decision made by the court of first instance, which enjoys a broad discretion anchored in the ordinary principles of fairness and justice. An appeal is only likely to succeed where a particular decision...
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Web page updated on 21/05/2026
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